The Awakening
by ChocolateWonder
Summary: After years of intense dislike, Lily Evans and James Potter are finally in their seventh year. Lily isn't so happy about James becoming Head Boy, but she decides to not let it affect her last year at Hogwarts. Will she finally admit to herself that James isn't all that bad? Told in both Lily's and James's POV. Jily pairing. Art courtesy of Viria.
1. Pillows and Dreams

The Awakening

 **Hi! So this is my first ever fanfic. I've been reading fanfiction for a while now, mainly Lily/James. I am creepily obsessed with it. Can you blame me, though? So, anyway, hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the rights and money. I wish I was her...**

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Chapter 1: Pillows and Dreams

"James! Jaaaaames!"

"Go away."

"Don't tell your mother to go away."

"Mum?" I shot up.

Sirius rolled around on the ground, laughing. "You actually fell for that?" I glared at him. "I'm going to bloody kill you, Black." I threatened him, holding up my pillow above his head.

Sirius pretended to faint. "Oh, Lord of Pillows, please spare my life," he begged me.

I grinned evilly. "Too late, Sirius. No one wakes me up at" I glanced at my clock "seven-thirty in the morning and lives to tell the tale." I repeatedly bashed his head with my pillow as he howled and laughed at the same time.

"Boys, what's going on up there?" I heard Mum call. "Nothing, Mia," Sirius called back.

I scrambled out of bed, seeing that there was no point in trying to go back to sleep. I brushed, dressed, and went downstairs. My dad was already seated at the table, reading the _Daily Prophet_.

"Another attack in Liverpool," he reported grimly, "A family of five were killed in their sleep. I have to go there to help clean up."

My father was an Auror. He was often called away from home, and wouldn't be back for days at a time. I sat down next to Sirius, who had already inhaled several pancakes at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, there was a _tap tap_ at the window. We all looked up, expecting the worst. Thankfully, it was only a Hogwarts owl, carrying two thick envelopes. One was addressed to me, the other to Sirius.

I handed Sirius his, and on the count of three, we opened our envelopes and dumped the contents on the table.

Three pieces of parchment, along with a gleaming badge, fell out of mine. I unfolded the first letter. It was the usual letter we got every year from Professor McGonagall. The second was a list of needed materials for seventh year classes.

But it was the third one that caught my eye. I opened it. It said:

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _I am pleased to tell you that you have received the position of Head Boy at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. You will meet the Head Girl on the Hogwarts Express on September 1st, promptly after the train departs from Platform 9¾._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

 _P.S. I am sure that you will be pleased by my choice for Head Girl._

Holy cow, I thought. Me? Then I grinned as I read the P.S. _Evans_.

* * *

At approximately the same time, Lily was opening her letter.

I shrieked. My mother barrelled into the kitchen, eyes wild. When she saw that I was alright, she said, with a hand over her heart, "Goodness, Lily, you scared the life out of me. For a moment I thought-"

"I'm Head Girl!" I shrieked again. "W-What?" my Mum stammered. "I can't believe it! I did it! I've worked _so_ hard for this." I turned toward Mum, eyes shining.

At that moment, my older sister stalked in. "What's this all about?" Petunia asked snarkily. I turned towards my sister, too absorbed in my excitement to notice her tone. "I'm Head Girl, Tuney!''

"Oh, great, now you're like, the head of freaks." she said sarcastically, "Congrats. I'm off to Vernon's, I have better things to do." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, grabbed the car keys, and marched away. I was stung, but that didn't stop me from retorting. "Don't you mean Vermin?" I called after her. She slammed the door behind her.

My mother sighed. "Sometimes, I wish that my daughters would learn to get along," she said wearily.

"Come on, Mum, the day Petunia and I get along is the day Vernon's sister gets rid of those horrid dogs. Which means, never." I scoffed.

"Try to be nice on each other's wedding day," my mother insisted.

"Try telling Petunia that," I muttered.

And just like that, my morning was ruined.

"Damn it," I cursed, "Petunia knows how to spoil your day."

A few days later, I went to Diagon Alley. I had to meet a few friends, and shop with them for new supplies. We had agreed to meet in the Leaky Cauldron.

I had just entered when I was buffeted by a tornado. Also known as my best friend, Hestia Jones.

"OMG, Lily, I haven't seen you in forever!" she screeched in my ear.

"Woah, Hest, I think you're the first person to make a person deaf by shouting in their ear," I quipped, rubbing my ear gingerly.

"Whoops, sorry Lils." She released me extremely quickly. "Good to see you too, Hestia," I joked.

Hestia had made quite the spectacle when she greeted me. Everyone was now staring at us.

"What're you looking at?" I snapped at the onlookers. Everybody looked away quickly.

"Why's it so quiet in here?" someone asked from behind us.

"Alice!" Hestia flung herself at the brunette.

"Hestia, air is becoming an issue here," she choked out twenty seconds later.

We proceeded to find a table and sat down.

I could hold it back no longer.

"Guess what?" I brandished my badge. "I'm Head Girl!"

Hestia's and Alice's reactions were much better than Petunia's.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Hestia, snatching the badge from my hand.

"Careful! I don't want to damage that before school starts!" I warned them as they examined it.

Alice tossed it carelessly back to me. It soared over my head. I dove for it, just barely managing to catch it.

"Alice!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry." At least she looked sheepish.

"So, I wonder who's going to be Head Boy," said Hestia, getting us back on track.

"Amos Diggory," Alice and I sighed dreamily.

"Oh yes. He is such a dreamboat." Hestia sighed.

Amos Diggory was a Hufflepuff in our year. He was the handsomest thing on the earth. He had wavy brown hair, and amazing cerulean eyes. He was Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team.

He currently had a girlfriend, but that didn't stop us from liking him.

"Yes, Amos Diggory HAS to be Head Boy. There's no one else that's at the same level as him." I told them.

Boy, was I wrong.

 **So, how's that for a first chapter? I know it's a bit patchy, but I'll work on that.**

 **I also know that Lily's POV is longer than James's, but personally, I think I can see a bit of myself in her. That's why hers is longer.**

 **The first chapter is also a bit short, but it's a start.**

 **Reviews are welcome!**

 **-AJ**


	2. Alarm Clocks and Skirmishes

**This is my second chapter for** **The Awakening.** **Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Alarm Clocks and Skirmishes

"Wakey-wakey, Jamie!"

"Go away, Sirius, I know it's you."

"Today's September 1st. We're going to 'll get to see Lily today!"

Oh yeah. Hogwarts.

"Give me a minute, Sirius. I'll be up."

"Okay, I'll be back in a minute."

Exactly sixty seconds later…

"GET UP! GET UP PRONGS!"

"Bloody hell, Sirius!" I shouted, "Get off of my bed!"

Sirius leapt back onto the ground.

"Next time, I'd prefer the alarm clock." I grumbled.

Sirius skipped out of the room, leaving me to drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom.

When I went downstairs, Sirius was already halfway through his breakfast.

"Good morning, James." my father greeted me.

"Goopfh-" Sirius swallowed his food "-morning, sleepyhead."

""Morning, all." I yawned. "Dad, could you tell Sirius to stop waking me up so rudely? It's driving me crazy!"

"You sound like a girl." mumbled Sirius. I hit him over the head. "Ouch!"

I stood on Platform 9 ¾ . Ahh, it was good to be-

 _CRASH!_

"OW! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DUDE!"

-back.

"Bloody hell, Sirius!" I yelled, for the second time that morning. "What the hell was that for?"

"My my, someone's in a grouchy mood this morning," muttered Sirius.

I ignored him. Instead, I scanned the platform for my other mates.

I spotted Peter **(A/N: Rot in hell, slimy rat.)** and beckoned him. He pulled his trunk over and joined us.

"C'mon, let's find a compartment before they all fill up." said Sirius.

"What about Moony?" Peter's face, as usual, was round in anxiety.

"He'll find us." I told him.

* * *

Hestia plowed her way through the crowded corridor, looking for an empty compartment. I was right behind her.

"Oi! Move it!" she barked at a couple of fifth years. They gave her an annoyed look, but moved out of her way.

There seemed to be a holdup a few feet ahead. My stomach clenched when I realized it was a group of Slytherins in our year.

Hestia, however, seemed undeterred. "Get out of the way, Lestrange," she ordered.

Lestrange gave her a cold look, but said nothing.

"She said, get out of our way!" I snapped.

"I don't take orders from a Mudblood." he spat.

"Yeah, but unfortunately for you, I'm Head Girl. And that insult is getting a bit old, don't you think?" I smirked.

In a flash, he had his wand out. I had barely managed get to mine out before he shouted " _Levicorpus!"_

A spell of Snape's. Lucky for me, I had good reflexes. " _Protego!"_ My shield absorbed the curse.

"Is there a problem here?" a voice said mildly.

I whirled around.

There stood James Potter, wand dangling at his side. His three friends flanked him.

I narrowed my eyes at Lestrange. "No, there's not a problem. Lestrange here was just getting out of our way."

"Oh, I thought I heard a disturbance." he said. He turned to the Slytherins. "You heard her. Get out of their way."

The Slytherins sneered at me, then set off to wherever their compartment was.

I turned to Potter. "Thanks," I said grudgingly.

"No problem. Will you-"

"No, Potter! How many times do I have tell you that I won't go out with you?"

Potter blinked, taken aback. Remus stepped forward.

"Lily, he wasn't asking you out again. He's past that now. He was asking if you wanted to join us in our compartment." he said calmly.

"Oh." I could feel my cheeks turning red from embarrassment. "Uh, sure."

No less than five minutes later, Alice joined us.

The train whistle blew, and started moving.

"Guys, I've got to go. I have to meet the Head Boy and the prefects." I said.

The Marauders snuck secret glances at each other. Then Black said, "You do that, then."

"Have fun!" he called after me.

I stepped into the Prefects' Compartment. Good, no one was there. I needed a moment to get used to it. I sat in one of seats in the front, which were usually reserved for the Heads'.

The compartment door opened. I stared at it in shock.

"You?"

 **Ah, a cliffhanger. Well, it's not really a cliffhanger. But, still, I'm not going to reveal anything. If you know who it is, then don't put it in your review.**

 **Please review!**

 **-AJ**


	3. Rivalries and New Perspectives

**Okay, I know I haven't updated in a while. I've had writers' block. And I've generally lost interest. But I'm going to have a stab at Chapter 3. So, here it is!**

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Chapter 3: Rivalries and New Perspectives

" _You?"_

I gave a weak little wave.

"Hey, Evans." She looked at me as though I had committed a murder. Merlin, it was just a greeting.

"What are _you_ doing here?" were the first words out of her mouth, "This is the Prefects' compartment!"

I bit back a retort. "Good, I'm in the right place."

"What do you mean, 'you're in the right place'?" Her voice became more high-pitched.

I pointed at my chest. Her eyes moved from my face to the Head Boy badge. She let out a gasp.

"You?!" she repeated. I watched as her face changed from surprise to horror.

"Yes, me." I was getting annoyed now.

"B-but-"

"But nothing, Evans," I cut her off. "I'm Head Boy. Let's move on to something else."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Seeing that Evans was obviously not going to get up, I stood and opened the door myself. The prefects filed in quietly.

I gave everyone a small smile. Someone had to greet them., since Evans was still in her trance.

They sat down, and stared at me. I cleared my throat. Evans was still looking dazed.

"Er, Evans," I nudged her, "I think we're supposed to give them a speech or something."

She jumped and glared at me. I looked at her pointedly and gestured toward the prefects. Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment and she jumped up.

"Sorry about the delay. The Head Girl is having a slow morning." I told the prefects.

Snickers erupted. Evans gave me her famous death glare. I'd seen this look on her face several times, so I responded in typical fashion. "Keep that up, and your face will get stuck like that." I smirked at the furious expression on her face, as the snickers grew louder. It was fun teasing her like that.

Her death glare swiveled to the prefects and their laughter was instantly quelled.

"Thank you, Potter," she said sweetly, "for being a git as usual. Glad to know that you haven't grown up."

"Only for you, Evans."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave me a "shut up before I explode" look. I sat down, still smirking.

"Okay let's get back on track." She glared me again. "I'm Lily Evans. I'm the Head Girl this year."

One of the Slytherin prefects whispered in his fellow prefect's ear "Dumbledore made the Mudblood Head Girl? No wonder this school is going to the dogs."

I stood up, my blood boiling, and fixed a stern glare on the Slytherin.

"If you have a problem with Evans being Head Girl, I suggest you go to the headmaster, but until then, no name-calling," I warned quietly. "Next time, I will not be as forgiving. And twenty points from Slytherin."

The Slytherin's eyes narrowed.

"You can't do that," he blurted out.

"Watch me."

We glared at each other, Gryffindor and Slytherin hatred rekindled.

Evans cleared her throat. I looked away.

* * *

I cleared my throat. Potter looked at me.

"Okay, now, no fighting," I said in falsely sweet voice, "We're all working together as a team this year."

Potter coughed. I ignored him.

"So, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, I'm the Head Girl, and Potter unfortunately is the Head Boy." A few people looked incredulously at Potter, and the same Slytherin who had insulted me had his lips curled up in a sneer. Of course, Potter noticed. His eyes flashed. But at least he had the sense to hold his tongue.

* * *

I directed the rest of the meeting, since I was the one with all of the experience. I could feel Potter's eyes burning holes in the back of my head. He occasionally threw in a few (and unnecessary) comments in. Apart from that, he was reasonably well-behaved. Not that I would tell him, of course. It might inflate his head even more, and the train would collapse if it did.

The meeting took exactly an hour, and many people were zoning out. At the end, surprisingly, only Potter was paying attention.

"...and that concludes our meeting. Hill, Sandford- you're patrolling first." The two Hufflepuff prefects nodded and scampered out of the compartment. I turned to the others. "You are dismissed."

There was a mad dash for the door. Potter and I waited patiently. Then Potter stood up and stretched.

"Not bad, Evans," he grinned, "but you could've cut down on a lot of it."

I opened my mouth to retort, but something stopped me.

A shaft of sunlight streamed from the open window, and momentarily illuminated Potter.

Damn.

That boy was _fit_.

My mouth still halfway open, I surveyed the rest of his features.

His hair was still as untidy as ever. He seemed to have grown a few inches, making his height an impressive 6'4''. His face had its usual handsome features.

But what caught my eye was his eyes.

I had always thought that his eyes were brown, but now as I looked more closely at them, I realized they were a brilliant hazel. The green and gold splashes in his eyes made the overall effect stunning.

When he saw me staring at him, his hand went automatically to his hair. "Evans," he asked softly, "what's the matter?"

His voice snapped me out of my daze, and I dropped my gaze immediately. "I'm fine." I muttered, finding the floor suddenly very interesting. Heat rose into my cheeks.

"Your shoelaces are untied," I pointed out lamely.

"Oh, er, thanks." He bent down to tie his shoelaces. While he was busy, I made my quick escape. When he looked up, I was gone.

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 **Reviews, please!**

 **-AJ**


	4. Sugar Quills and Long Speeches

I've done three chapters already, yet they still haven't reached Hogwarts. I promise that in this chapter I will not be as descriptive. I'll try to be as general as possible. Forgive me if I do become too descriptive. There's a bit of language in this chapter.

Chapter 4: Sugar Quills and Long Speeches

I bent down to tie my shoelace. When I glanced up again, I was alone. It appeared that Evans had fled.

Shrugging it off, I proceeded to my compartment.

I slid the door open and seated myself next to Sirius. Evans was in deep conversation with Prewett, obviously talking about me. It seemed that neither of them had noticed me enter. I could hear every word of their conversation, and apparently, so could the rest of the compartment.

"I'm telling you Alice, he hasn't changed at all!" Evans was saying heatedly.

"Nonsense. You're-"

Peter accidentally nudged Sirius's foot, which made Sirius jump and bang his head loudly on the luggage rack above our heads. He swore angrily at Peter, while rubbing his head gingerly.

The sudden noise caused Evans and Prewett to look up and flush. Feeling uncomfortable, I nudged aside Sirius and sat by the window, so that I was as far away as possible from Evans. Evans looked stiffly away from me, her face tinged with red, while Prewett gave me an embarrassed and apologetic look. Sirius looked at Remus, and something flashed in between them, and Peter glanced eagerly at me and Evans, clearly hoping for some action. Jones seemed like she didn't know what to say to cover the awkward moment.

Thankfully, the trolley lady served as a distraction. "Anything from the trolley, dears?'

She looked expectantly at us. I sighed and handed over a fistful of coins. "The usual," I said, my smile fake.

A sharp "ahem" sounded from me. It sounded suspiciously like Jones.

"Make it double," I corrected myself.

The trolley lady grinned toothily at me. She presented me with the requested items. I had to take two trips to bring it all back into the compartment. I dumped it unceremoniously on the floor.

"Dig in," I said in delight. The girls looked on in disgust as we boys dove in.

I managed to snatch a few Sugar Quills and a bar of chocolate from Moony. He stared longingly at it as I devoured it. Everyone knew that he had a weakness for chocolate.

The girls had a look on their faces similar to the one McGonagall wore when she was regarding a particularly nasty (cough, Lestrange, cough) Slytherin. All four of them looked revolted.

"You," proclaimed Jones "are gross. No one eats food off of the floor."

"Come on," said Sirius. It sounded garbled because he still was chewing. All of us received a peek at the contents in his mouth. Was that a Cockroach Cluster I saw?

He swallowed and said "Come on, Jones, it's all wrapped in plastic."

"It's not spiked, either." I offered Evans a Sugar Quill. She wrinkled her nose.

"Come on, now, I know you're hungry," I coaxed, waving it in front of her face.

She eyed it, and then, in one swift movement, knocked back on the floor.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Thanks for rejecting me again."

Her eyes flashed. I knew that she saw what I was saying.

Remus began choking and spluttered for assistance. It took several thumps on his back to make him swallow completely. Chocolate, no doubt, was the culprit.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful. Pettigrew fell asleep, and the rest of us were conversing in low tones.

The train let us off at Hogsmeade. Everybody flooded towards the carriages, and Hagrid was already calling to the first years. I was swept towards the carriages, before a hand grabbed my shoulder.

It was Potter. He pulled me wordlessly towards the lake.

"What's going on?" I tried to ask, but was stopped short when I saw the lake, and an isolated boat drifting idly on the edge.

"Heads have to go separately," he explained briefly, "We're supposed to get there before everyone else does. The Heads of Houses want to speak with us before everyone comes."

I stared at him, surprised. Where had he learned this information?

He caught my look. "Remus," he said shortly.

I nodded, making a mental note to ask Remus later who had he received that from.

Potter climbed into the boat, and held out his hand to help me.

"I don't need your help, Potter. I'm perfectly capable of getting in by myself." I snapped, then carelessly stepped onto the edge.

A moment of terror, as I teetered precariously on the edge. Then, I fell forward, arms windmilling wildly. I would've cracked my skull had something not broken my fall. Something incredibly warm and soft.

Next thing I knew, someone started laughing. I turned red as I realized whose lap I was laying on.

"'Capable of getting in by myself' my ass." chortled Potter.

I was getting more humiliated by the second. I pushed myself roughly out of his lap, thankful that none of my friends were around. They'd probably die from laughing so hard.

He was still chuckling by the time we reached Hogwarts. Meanwhile, I was growing even madder.

We entered the Great Hall. His laughter was reverberating through the air.

"Shut up, Potter," I snapped, slapping his arm.

"Ouch, woman, no need to be abusive," he said, amusement still evident in his voice.

I let his words float over my head. I was still taking in the sight of Hogwarts.

"Imagine, this is the last we're ever going to enter this hall and have our breaths taken away," I murmured wistfully, forgetting who I was talking to for a moment.

For once, Potter didn't make some sarcastic comment.

McGonagall interrupted my daze. I jumped, startled. Where had she come from?

"Trip alright?" she asked briskly, and without waiting for an answer, she began her long talk about rules and responsibilities and blah blah blah.

I let her voice fade dully into the background. I had heard this speech as a prefect. Instead, I immersed myself in my own thoughts.

Today had been bizarre. I was Head Girl, as expected, but Potter was Head Boy. Why on Earth did Dumbledore make him the Head Boy? He could've picked someone more respectable, like Remus Lupin, or (sigh) Amos Diggory.

Potter was jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow. I hissed in pain and smiled weakly at McGonagall.

She gave me a stern glance. "I know you may have heard this before, Miss Evans, but that is not a reason to not pay attention."

I bowed my head. "Sorry, Professor," I mumbled.

McGonagall finished her speech in the next few minutes and then hurried away to the teachers' table.

"So, Evans, what're we going to choose as our password?" asked Potter.

I gave him a confused look.

"Oh, right, you weren't listening," he smirked. "The password to the Heads' Dorm rooms."

I groaned. I was being tortured even more? What had I done to deserve this punishment?

"I dunno, pick whatever you want."

Reviews, por favor!


	5. Passwords and Lateness

Chapter 5: Passwords and Lateness

" _That's_ what you picked? Are you _mental_?"

I stared in disbelief at Potter.

"What? You said I could choose whatever password I wanted." he said defensively.

"Yes, but I meant choose something simple!"

"Mine is simple."

I hit my forehead with my hand. "'James Potter is the Sexiest Man Alive' is not simple. I really didn't have time for this.

He frowned. "That's perfectly _simple_. Besides, it's not as guessable."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what, I'm tired of trying to prove my point to you. I'm going to bed."

"But-" he began.

I held up a hand. "No more quarreling. Get out of my sight, before l throw something heavy at you."

Potter looked mutinous, but reluctantly complied, muttering under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that," I said pleasantly. "Please repeat what you said."

What he said next made me gasp in outrage.

"You know, there is something poking out of your ass, Evans. Is that a stick I see?"

"How dare you?! If anybody has a stick shoved up their ass, it's you!" I screamed.

"You know what, I'm tired of of trying to prove my point to you." he mimicked. "I'm going to bed, before I get the urge to throw something heavy at you."

"You wouldn't dare!" I called after him, "Unless you literally want a stick shoved up your ass."

I received no response, except for a door slamming.

Fuming, I stormed up the stairs into my room, which was labeled Lily Marie Evans. Potter knew just how to get my blood boiling.

"That infuriating prick!" I muttered. "Who does he think he is, strutting around like he owns the damn place." I got ready for bed, grumbling under my breath. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I woke up. Nothing seemed wrong with the world. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and- why in Merlin's name was James Potter sitting on my bed?!

"Potter?" I gaped at him.

He was sitting on the edge of my bed, looking completely nonchalant.

"Hello, Evans," he said casually.

"What-" I was cut off abruptly.

"Class starts in twenty minutes. I came to wake you up."

I glanced at the time and yelped. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" I demanded, scrambling out of bed.

He opened his mouth to respond, but I was already running towards the bathroom. "Pack my stuff, will you?" I called from the bathroom, before turning on the shower.

I showered in record time. Potter was sitting on my bed, watching as I ran around in a frenzy, half naked with only a towel around my body.

"Get out!" I barked.

Potter took his own sweet time backing out from the room, his eyes fixed on floor. At least he wasn't perverted.

Nine minutes. I could do this.

I threw on my uniform and glanced around for my bag.

There it was, resting on my bed, and I snatched it up. I peered inside.

Everything was organized exactly the way I usually organized it, down to the last quill. Organized in alphabetical order, just the way I liked it.

 _How did Potter...never mind._

I dashed out of my room. Potter was waiting patiently at the entrance. How could he look so calm when there was a crisis at hand?

"Why did you wait for me?" I shouted, going into panic mode. "That'll make both of us late!"

"Relax, Evans," he laughed. "I'm a Marauder, remember?"

She gazed at me, completely out of breath. Her hair was wild, her uniform was rumpled, and her eyes were frantic.

"We need to go," she hissed, her eyes straying toward the clock on the mantel.

As much I wanted to be late, I didn't want Evans to be on my case if we were tardy.

So, at a brisk pace, I led her out of the room, and down the corridor, where a tapestry was located. I didn't have the Map on me, but I knew it by heart.

We hurried through the tunnel behind the tapestry in complete silence, our panting the only sound.

We emerged into the light. Wasting no time, I led her down the corridor, around the bend, and into another hallway when the bell rang. We were just in time to catch the last student filing in.

Thankfully, Padfoot had saved me a seat. I plopped down next to him. Behind me, Evans took a seat next to Jones. Prewett was over next to Longbottom, her boyfriend.

Binns was mid-lecture when a note landed on my desk. Curiously I opened it.

 _Thanks._

 _-LE_

I threw one back at her.

 **No problem.**

 **-JP**

That was the end of our brief note passing. I _think_ she was surprised that I didn't ask her out or anything.

Nope, not anymore. Those days are long gone.

I do wish that I had food. I'm incredibly hungry. I didn't eat breakfast this morning, because I woke up late.

I ask Sirius if he has any food. Big mistake.

"Why, were you snogging someone and forgot about breakfast?" he smirked suggestively

"No, I wasn't."

"Oh really. So you weren't snogging Evans? Because all the signs point to it," he questioned.

"What signs?" I spluttered.

"You were almost late to class, looking like you just ran a marathon," he pointed out smugly.

Keen observation, Padfoot. So you do pay attention.

"Evans and I both woke up late, and we both had to run to class. That's why we were almost late, _not_ because we were participating in _inappropriate_ _activities_."

Sirius looked mildly disappointed. Like he wanted us to snog. That boy and his imaginative brain…

Binns continued to drone on endlessly on something no one even remotely cared for. Something about Ganglin the Gruesome. Even Evans looked drowsy.

Sirius got a wicked grin on his face. Moony began to frantically motion towards me and Sirius, undoubtedly urging Sirius to stop whatever he was planning.

"Ten sickles says that I can go poke Binns in the ribs and not make him notice me," he whispered in my ear.

"Sirius, don't," I said to him tightly.

He stared at me disbelievingly. "Merlin's left toenail, Prongs, you've turned into another Moony!"

He began to swoon dramatically. "Is this really how we go down?! Because of Moony! One of our own! Moony, you sneaky tosser! You've corrupted Prongs!" he wailed.

Binns, too engrossed in his meaningless lecture, didn't hear him. Remus rolled his eyes.

I could feel Evans burning holes in the back of his head. She was clearly unhappy. I had to fix this before she started on me and my supposed immaturity. I gave her apologetic smirk and she scowled.

"Pads, just because I said no this time doesn't mean I'm going to say it again," I hissed quietly, making sure Evans couldn't hear me.

A slow smile spread on his face. I breathed in relief.

I tried my best to not fall asleep, lest it tick off Evans. I was on my best behavior.

Sirius, however, dozed off in the next five minutes. I couldn't blame him. My eyes were begging me to succumb to the lovely world of sleep. But I refused. No.

Binns' lecture finally ended, and we all were left to sigh in relief, only to groan when he set us two foot essay on Ganglin the Gruesome and his life, blah blah blah…

The bell rang and we all jumped up. Sirius woke with a start.

"Huh?" he muttered blearily, rubbing his eyes. Then he caught sight of me.

"Prongs? What happened?"

I explained it to him.

" _Mooooony_!" he hollered, swinging around "Can I copy your essay?"

Predictably, that got his attention.

I waited patiently until Moony was done ranting about irresponsibility and paying attention in class. I could tell Sirius wasn't listening to a word he said. He had the attention span of a dog. He was already preoccupied with another thing.

"Hello, darling," he purred suavely to a brunette, leaning closer to her "Are you single?"

She blushed in response. She looked a little too young for him, but Sirius went out with any girl in a skirt, regardless of age.

Anyway, within five minutes, Sirius had found his flavor of the week.

Listened to "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons while typing this up.

 **Took** **forever** **to complete!**

Sorry about lack of updates. I'm trying my best to generate ideas and write while balancing homework. Reviews would be so helpful.

 _-AJ_


	6. First Names and Hair Problems

I was just finishing up my Charms essay when Potter walked over to me.

Raucous laughter reached my ears and I instinctively looked over at the Marauders to see that Black had just hexed a second year to sprout a chicken's head. How immature of him.

"Erm, Evans?"

I pushed away my essay. "Actually, Potter, I'm glad you're here. We really need to set up a rounds schedule and we also need to decide when the next Hogsmeade trip is…"

"Woah woah woah," interrupted Potter, "I just came over here to ask if I could borrow your notes for Charms. I missed a good bit of it because Padfoot was badgering me about something and I had to tell him to shut up."

"Why couldn't you just borrow them from Remus?" I asked, confused. Remus normally took diligent notes.

"I would, but he's in the hospital wing." He lowered his voice. "You know, because of his _furry little problem."_

Oh right. I had forgotten about that. The full moon must've been last night.

"And Padfoot's notes are rubbish, so you're kind of the only person who has good notes besides Moony."

"All right, then," I handed the notes over to him without protest, "Knock yourself out."

His face lit up. "Thanks, Ev-Lily!"

 _Lily._ My name sounded foreign coming from his mouth. Strange.

"No problem, Pot- _James,_ " I corrected myself, surprising myself.

How odd. His name flowed out of my mouth so easily, like a river. It felt...as weird as it sounds... _nice._

 _James._

How...peculiar. Weren't we just bickering the other night?

"Lily? Lily, can you hear me?"

I jerked back into the present.

Mary, sweet Mary, stood in front of me instead of James, her hands twisting the hem of her robes.

"Yes, Mary?" I asked my former dorm mate moodily.

She frowned at my suspicious behavior, but didn't question it. That was why I liked Mary. She didn't pressure me into anything.

"Where's Remus?" she asked.

I tensed. Mary had no idea about his condition.

"Out," I answered cryptically, "Why?"

Mary took a deep breath. "Well, I wanted to ask him something. It's probably absurd, but," Here she hesitated. "I have a theory, Lily, something awful! I've wondered for months and I couldn't help but notice the signs. Lily, as crazy as this sounds, I think he might be a-!"

I slapped a hand over her mouth before she blurted out Remus's secret to the whole common room.

"Shh," I hissed urgently "Let's talk about this upstairs, in private."

Mary's eyes widened, and she followed me up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. I could feel James's stare burning my back. He had heard Mary's almost-confession.

"Okay," I demanded, as soon as we were out of range of prying ears, "How much do you know?"

Her eyes bulged. "Wait, _you_ know that he's a werewolf?!"

"I've known for ages," I waved my hand dismissively. "Anyway, the more important thing is that you don't let this ruin your relationship with Remus."

Oh wait, I neglected to mention that Mary has a _massive_ crush on Remus.

"But he's a werewolf!" cried Mary. "How could he not _tell_ me?"

"He was too afraid of how you would react. He feared that you would treat him like a monster."

She shook her head disbelievingly. "I would _never_ condemn him for that."

"Yeah, but Remus has grown up thinking that he, as a werewolf, is automatically unaccepted into society. What would you do if you were a parent who had just found out that your kid is attending school with a potentially dangerous creature?"

"I would withdraw my kid from Hogwarts and demand that he be chucked out.I would think my kid would be safe."

"Exactly," I affirmed. "That's what he's afraid of. People being prejudiced. He doesn't want to get thrown out of Hogwarts. That's why he only tells certain people, people he can trust."

"Poor Remus. I can't imagine being him," she said sympathetically, "Who else knows? Aside from you, of course."

"The Marauders, obviously. The teachers. Hagrid. And Snape."

" _Snape?!"_

"Yeah. Accident. Don't ask."

She frowned. I didn't bother telling her about the Marauders' Animagus forms. She already had a lot on her plate.

"Oh, right," I said, remembering a very vital point, " _You mustn't breathe a word about this to_ anyone. You can talk to me, or someone who knows about it, but no one else."

"Okay," she agreed immediately. "Another question-how should I ask him out?"

She and I began to discuss tactics, for Remus was a practical person and appreciated simple things, but we were cut off by a soft knock.

"It's James," came the muffled voice, answering my unasked question.

Mary looked at me, and I nodded. "Come in!" I called.

Po-I mean, James entered the room, a broom slung over his shoulder and a friendly smile on his face.

"Hey, MacDonald, Lily," he greeted us, with an acknowledging nod towards Mary.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" I questioned testily, without preamble.

He looked at us guiltily, and I immediately guessed his response. Mary must've realized it too, because her body stiffened.

"I figured out what Mary almost said. I just wanted to hear her reaction. I know she likes Moo-Remus," he admitted sheepishly.

Mary softened considerably at his honesty. I did too, although I did a better job of concealing it.

"Listen, I know what Remus is, and I don't care. It's not his fault. Regardless of his condition, I still like him for who he is. I still want to ask him out."

"Ask who out?" asked Fiona, another roommate, entering the room. Her mouth fell open at the sight of a boy in the dorm, James Potter especially.

"Hi, Shacklebolt," said James, waving and backing out of the dorm.

"What was _James Potter_ doing in here?" she demanded from me and Mary the moment the door closed behind James.

Mary glanced at me, banking on me to lie for her.

"He had a question about Head duties," I fibbed smoothly.

The lie seemed to appease Fiona. I glanced fleetingly at the clock and said casually, "Hey, Mary, don't you have Quidditch…?"

"Crap," she swore, and began digging through her trunk for suitable clothing, like a Niffler hunts for shiny objects. Her clothes flew everywhere.

She finally managed to extract a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and threw them on faster than you could say "Lemon Drop."

Somewhere in the middle of this chaos, Fiona began chuckling. I joined in after removing one of Mary's undergarments from my head.

The situation was really humorous, seeing Mary running around like a headless chicken.

Finally, she did obtain the appropriate items needed for Quidditch.

I was still chortling even when she left, as was Fiona. She had the appearance of a mad hen, or Sirius when he was on sugar high. I shuddered mentally at the thought.

I embarked on the perilous journey that was repacking Mary's clothing back in her trunk. The girl's trunk stunk like rotting meat, unsurprisingly. Her trunk was so unorganized.

I wasn't one for sports. The first time I tried to fly, I had a total wipeout. That was _humiliating._

For the next few minutes, the only sound was the sound of rustling, as Fiona remade her bed. The atmosphere was relatively serene.

Then Fiona asked, "How's it like, being Head Girl?"

I thought for a moment, debating on what to say. "It's...a combination of things. Stressful and draining, but it's also fun, planning events."

Fiona nodded sympathetically. "Is James annoying you?"

"Actually, not really," I replied thoughtfully, "He's much more... _bearable_ this year. I'll even go as far to say that he's more mature."

"Do you like him? As in more than a friend?"

" _Hell_ no!" I shrieked vehemently, causing Fiona to jump.

"Sorry, sorry. Don't bite my head off." Fiona held her hands up in surrender.

"Sorry," I said, and returned to my careful repacking of Mary's trunk.

No way on Earth was I ever going to fancy James Potter, despite the fact that we were mates. We had way too much history.

* * *

James's POV

"MacDonald!" I called irritably, "About time you showed up."

MacDonald jogged towards us. She was out of breath.

"Sorry," she panted, about to make an excuse.

I raised my hand to halt her. "You know what my rule is, Macdonald. Every minute you're late that's a lap around the pitch. You're five minutes late, so that's five laps."

Mary sighed heavily and began to jog. The rest of team stared expectantly at me.

"Oi, Prongs," insisted Sirius, "Can't you lay off? It's the first practice, for Godric's sake."

I fixed him with a stern glare. "If I start doing that every practice, what's going to happen to our team?"

"Not _every_ practice, just this one."

"Nothing's changed, Pa-Sirius, just a few players graduated. Which reminds me, we need to set a time for the tryouts. When are you lot free?"

There was a brief silence.

"Next weekend?" Peabody, one of the two Beaters, volunteered.

"How's that then?" I looked at him with approval.

"Gotta date on Saturday, but Sunday's good for me!" called Sirius.

"Well, then, it's settled. Sunday after lunch. And Padfoot, please don't let your love life interfere with Quidditch," I told him firmly.

He pretended to think about it. "Well, I'll try my best to keep them ladies off of me. You know they can't keep their greedy paws off of me. They all want a little of the dashing Sirius Black. You, on the other hand…"

The rest of the team began to disperse. They were used to our pointless squabbling.

I groaned. "And Lily calls _me_ conceited." I muttered, and then raised my voice. "Not now, Padfoot. Shut up before I throw you into the lake."

"Embarrassed?"

"You're incorrigible!"

I froze. Crap, I was turning into another Lily.

Padfoot, being the immature prat that he is, immediately took advantage of it. He immediately began to mock me.

"Jamesie loves Leeeeely! Jamesie loves Leeeeely!" he singsonged.

I clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Kinky," mumbled Sirius.

" _Can you not be your annoying self for at least five minutes?"_ I whispered, checking frantically that no one had heard. Luckily, no one had.

"Oopsie daisy," Sirius sang into my hand, spitting into it.

I thumped him on the back of his thick skull. I wiped my hand on his hair. _That_ he minded.

"Oi!" Sirius and rubbed his head wildly. "What'd you do to my hair? My precious, luscious locks?"

"You sound like a girl," I mumbled.

"What did you do to it?"

He sounded panicked, while I reveled in his despair. I didn't say anything, lest he blow a fuse.

Sirius glared at me beseechingly. I smiled back idly. Ah, revenge _was_ sweet.

"Whatever. Moony'll tell me," he dismissed confidently.

I held back amusement. Moony was more likely to side with me.

…

"Moony!" was the first thing he shouted as he entered the common room, "I need your help!"

"Since when do you _not_ need my help?" Moony grumbled.

Padfoot seemed miffed by his lack of enthusiasm. "It's a dire emergency!" he cried, "It's a life or death situation! You _must_ help me!"

Moony considered him carefully.

"What'd you do now?" he asked wearily, "Don't tell me you threw water balloons at Filch?"

"No, but thanks for the idea!" answered Padfoot brightly. "Prongs put something in my hair and won't tell me what it is. Can you?"

He turned around. Moony studied his head.

"I don't see anything," he finally said, after his careful observation.

"What?!" Sirius twisted around to look at Moony incredulously. "Moony, that is preposterous!" he proclaimed.

"A big word for someone mentally challenged," Moony muttered.

Sirius chose not to hear him. Instead, his hands scrabbled through his hair.

"Just go shower, Pads," I said exasperatedly.

Sirius glowered at me. "You are so paying for this."

I shrugged. Whatever he wanted to think.

Sirius did shower, and was noticeably cooler towards me. Moony assured me that it was completely fake.

"He'll get over it," he promised me.

Trust Moony to be the ever logical one.

That evening, I was busy writing a letter to Mum, when Lily walked up to me. My mind spun.

How could she pull off a casual look, while looking amazing at the same time? That was Lily, I guess.

She bit her lip, and seemed to be debating on what to say.

"Well?" I tapped my foot theatrically, "I don't have all day, Evans."

Surprisingly, she didn't look put out at my faux impatience.

Finally, she spoke. "We're patrolling tonight, nine o'clock sharp. You better be there, otherwise I'll hunt you down and drag you there myself."

"Where is it?" I questioned, masking my amusement with innocent curiosity.

"Outside the Gryffindor common room."

"It's a date, then."

Her face remained unreadable as she walked away, her message delivered. I stared at her for a few moments, thinking. Then I went back to writing my letter.

 _Dear Mum,_ I wrote,

 _School's been great. More than great, actually. You'll never guess who's Head Girl._

 _...All right, you've probably already found out from those hags you gossip with at the Leaky Cauldron. Lily Evans is Head Girl. Yes, she's the girl I've liked for awhile._

 _Your other son is doing just dandy. He's being more of a tosser than usual. Don't be surprised. He makes a big deal out of everything._

 _Head Boy isn't that bad, actually. It's just a whole load of responsibility._

 _I think I forgot to pack my brown jumper. Have you seen it lying around, by chance? If so, please owl it to me. I hope Ginger hasn't chewed it up or anything. You know how she loves fabric, especially my clothes._

 _Hope you aren't missing me too much._

 _Love,_

 _James_

With a flourish, I signed my name. My owl was in the Owlery at the moment, so I headed out of the portrait hole. On my way, I bumped into Glenda.

Glenda Lockhart was probably the most self absorbed girl you could ever meet. She was quite self absorbed into her own looks.

Of course, she held some sort of obsession for me. And when I say _obsession,_ it meant that she was all over me. Sirius quite enjoyed this kind of affection, but when directed at me, it made me disgusted.

"Hello, Jamesie," she cooed sickeningly.

I took about five large steps back before responding "Er, hi, Lockhart."

She completely disregarded the use of her surname.

"Now, don't be shy," she coaxed, in what she must've thought was seductive tone, "let's have some _real_ fun. Just me and you. You can have my good looks for free."

I took another step back, grossed out. "I'll have to pass, thanks," I declined politely.

"Come on, you know you can't resist my good looks," she simpered, taking another step closer to me. She was crowding up my personal bubble.

 _I can, actually._ Couldn't she take a hint, or was she really that daft? For Merlin's sake, I was already in love with another girl! "My answer's the same, Lockhart. _No._ " I enunciated. Merlin, she didn't know when to stop.

She looked mildly disappointed, but I knew from previous experience that this wasn't going to last. She would be hounding me soon.

"Someday," she sighed dramatically, slipping me a wink. She left, leaving me half relieved, half exasperated.

I walked quickly after that.

I reached the Owlery unhampered. I attached my letter to my owl, Godric, and he hooted at me and took off. I watched him fly farther and farther away until he was just a speck in the darkening sky.

 **Yes, yes, I know it's getting boring. I'm planning out the story, and there** _ **will**_ **be some action next chapter. R &R!**


	7. Dreams and Excursions

_Four people sat at an elegantly carved table. All four were dressed in fancy robes, all different colors: carnation yellow, forest green, sky blue, and lurid pink. The one in yellow, a woman, was sharpening a knife. The woman wearing the blue robes seemed to be looking distantly at the balcony. The two men appeared to be arguing._

" _...you sure?" the man in pink robes queried. He wore a turban on his head, and seemed to have an air of importance around him._

" _The owls have been sent, and now there is nothing we can do about it," said the man in forest green, looking frustrated._

" _But surely we can send another owl to them, explaining the matter," the man in pink robes insisted._

" _Heathcliff, I understand your concern, but they won't allow it. This must be done, otherwise all will perish. I know what you seek."_

" _You very well know what I am after. Very well, but if anything happens to my son, then…" Heathcliff let the threat hang._

" _I understand the consequences. Don't worry, your son will be in good hands," the man in green assured._

" _Gregory, come and meet my good friend, Salazar," Heathcliff called._

 _A young man, no more than eighteen, slouched out to join them. He was a remarkably handsome young man, had he not looked entirely dour._

" _Yes, father," said Gregory dully._

" _Gregory, stand up straight and greet my old friend Salazar. You will be his apprentice for some time, now."_

 _Gregory's shoulders lifted only a millimeter, and grunted. He rudely avoided Salazar's eyes._

 _Salazar gave a tight-lipped smile. His eyes lingered on Gregory for a fleeting moment, and then swept back to Heathcliff._

" _Very well, Heathcliff. You may leave now. Say your goodbyes."_

 _Heathcliff, who looked slightly put out, hugged his son very gingerly._

" _You take of yourself. No foolish antics," were his departing words._

 _Gregory hardly looked up. It was apparent that he wasn't quite close to his father._

" _Come, my boy, let me prepare you. It is a rather arduous journey ahead."_

 _Salazar placed a hand on Gregory's shoulder._

 _And then all was black._

I opened my eyes, my mind racing with unanswered questions. They were whirring by so fast it made my head spin.

Who were two women? What were Heathcliff and Salazar talking about? Why was Heathcliff dressed in pink robes? Why was Gregory so surly? And was that _Salazar Slytherin?_

I rationally began to answer questions in my head, using whatever I knew.

Could those women be Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw? But if they were Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, why was one of them sharpening a knife? Both were known to be generally peaceful, nonviolent people. And if the other founders were there, then where was Godric Gryffindor? None of that made sense. I tossed that theory out the window.

What Heathcliff and Salazar were talking about I would have to find out through more dreams.

But I was getting ahead of myself. Who said that I would be having more of these dreams?

I skimmed over the third question. Heathcliff could wear whatever he wanted. Or maybe royal people were crazy like that. Was he a king or something?

Gregory was an odd but interesting person. But why was he so rude like that? Did he hold a grudge against Slytherin?

And as for the last question, all of the signs pointed to it. He wore green robes, his name was Salazar, and he had the attitude of a typical Slytherin.

My head was still buzzing with the weight of the questions in my mind, so I knew there was no way on Earth I would be able to sleep. So, I decided to get some use out of my impromptu free time.

I shuffled out of my bedroom in my bunny slippers, grabbing my wand on the way out. I was careful not to wake James, though I would've liked a companion in my state of insomnia.

Everything was as I had left it just before patrol. I mentally reviewed all the assignments I could work.

I could do my History of Magic essay, but the mere appeal of doing that made that option immediately eliminate itself.

I could work on my antidote for Potions.

 _Potions? This early? Who are you kidding, Lily?_

Or I could always start outlining my Transfiguration essay.

I sat down and got to work.

I was so engrossed in my outline I didn't hear soft footsteps behind me. I was so absorbed it startled me when a shadow leaned over me.

"Lily? Wuzzgoinon?"

"English, please," I requested.

"Sorry," apologized James, yawning. "Whatcha doing?"

"Why do you want to know?" I snapped, and instantly regretted it when James looked miffed.

"Sorry that it isn't my problem that you're up at an ungodly hour in the morning doing homework," he retorted sarcastically.

I sighed. Old habits suck.

"So, why _are_ you up, anyway?" he asked, balancing on the top of the couch.

"Couldn't sleep," I answered evasively, drawing a line under an important point, "You?"

"I _was_ asleep, but then I heard you trampling downstairs like a elephant, so I woke up."

"Hey! I do not walk like an elephant. My steps are gazelle-like."

"Yeah right," he snorted, "They _so_ are."

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are not!"

"Are too- ah, bugger. I hate you."

"Sure you do," he smirked cockily, and I maturely stuck my tongue out at him.

"I'm your friend, dammit! I am entitled to hate you!"

"That makes absolutely no sense."

"It sounded better in my head."

"Sure it did."

"Will you stop questioning me on everything I say?"

"Will you stop questioning me on everything I say?"

"You are a prat!"

"You are a prat!" He stretched out luxuriously on the couch. I frowned.

"Stop it!"

"Stop it!" he mocked.

"Cut it out!"

"Cut it out!"

I smiled slyly. "James Potter is an arrogant prick."

"James Potter is an arro- ah, I see what you did there, you-you sneaky-"

I chuckled I watched him sit and struggle to find something to say. It's not everyday you see James Potter speechless. Only certain people can do that.

"Shuddup," he mumbled, his voice slurred indignantly.

I paid no heed to his request, I merely snickered.

"Real mature," he said loudly, "Well, I'm hungry. I'm going to the kitchens."

He waited for my reaction. As usual, my Head Girl instincts kicked in.

"James, it's late. You can't go to the kitchens; you'd be breaking curfew. And what if Filch catches you?"

"Lily, who do you take me for? I'm a Marauder. I can get around without being caught," he scoffed.

My defenses were becoming feebler. I said, "Do you even know where the kitchens are? You were never a prefect." Even then, I knew that that was rubbish.

"Lily, dear, hear me loud and clear. _I am a Marauder._ I know where the kitchens are, and I know how to get to them. Want me to show you?"

I opened my mouth to reply _no_ to his generous invitation, but my belly grumbled traitorously. I scowled at it.

"Look, even your tummy agrees with me. Listen to your tummy."

I sighed. Even my own body parts were betraying me. I had to cave in at some point. "Yes."

He almost fell off of the couch. No, correction, he actually _did_ fall off the couch.

"You okay?" I tried to sound offhand, and I tried not to sound too concerned. I didn't want to give the bloke any ideas.

"'M fine," he muttered, getting clumsily to his feet, "Sorry you had to see that. Not one of my finest moments."

"You've had a lot of them," I said.

James did not speak, instead attempting to engulf me a hug. I dodged out of the way. I didn't like him _that_ much.

James apparently wasn't as coordinated on the ground than he was in the air, because he tripped and his face put a dent in the ground. I winced.

"Ow," he muttered embarrassedly, rubbing his nose, his face red. His glasses had fallen on the ground, and a trickle of blood was sliding down his face. I picked his glasses up and he blindly took them.

"Ow," he said again, "That really hurt. Care to aid a bloke in need, Evans? I left my wand upstairs."

Should I really help him, after he had mimicked me so unnecessarily?

I wasn't heartless.

" _Episkey,_ " I said, healing his nose and setting it straight. The blood stopped immediately, and I sighed in relief . Did I mention that blood made me squeamish?

"Go clean that up," I advised.

James took the stairs two at a time to the bathroom. I waited patiently while he washed up.

He came bounding back down, wiping his face with his sleeve.

I examined his face. No blood. Good.

We stood there awkwardly for a few moments. I finally began walking towards the portrait hole.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked, catching up to me easily.

"To the kitchens, or have you forgotten?" I chided.

"Oh-oh yeah." James linked arms with me. "Shall we depart, Miss Evans?"

"We shall." I looped my arm through his, and we stepped regally out of the portrait hole. I squeaked and clung onto to him even tighter.

James chuckled. I elbowed him sharply in the ribs. That shut him up.

"Hang on," he said, and darted back in. I stood by myself, shivering slightly.

Merlin, it was pitch black out here. I never knew that Hogwarts could get this dark at night. I hoped James would come back quickly.

He returned as quickly as I'd hoped. Perhaps he'd sensed how I felt. He clutched his wand in his right hand and a silvery cloak under his other arm. He stuffed it in his pocket before I could get a proper look at it.

"Let's go," he said, striding at a brisk pace. He was already halfway down the corridor when I returned to my senses. I sprinted quickly to catch up.

Something squeaked. I jumped. The arsehole sniggered. I glared at him childishly.

"Not all of us have snuck around at this time of night, unlike some people I could mention," I muttered.

James didn't reply. I looked up and saw his tense face.

"Shh," he hissed.

Then I heard it. A rustling, coming from my feet.

We both looked down slowly. Mrs. Norris's lamp-like eyes stared creepily back at us, her face triumphant.

I nearly screamed, but James slapped a hand over my mouth, stifling my scream.

"Mangy cat," he hissed venomously. Then he pulled at my arm and we ran for our lives.

"In here," James whispered, and pushed me through a tapestry.

It was rather secluded and dark in here. And small. I didn't have claustrophobia, but it felt as if the walls were closing in on me. It was terrifying.

A warm scent wreathed around me. It was cologne. I smelled cinnamon and musk.

It didn't take long for me to identify who the scent belonged to.

"Shh," James whispered, covering my mouth with his hand. His very calloused hand.

 _Mmm._

Wait, where did that come from?

 _His hand feels nice._

Shut your trap, brain. Do brains have mouths? Metaphorically, I mean. I'm not stupid.

I mean, look at me. I'm Head Girl, I'm in the top of our year in every class. Well, that's not true. James was Head Boy for a reason. He's the top student in Transfiguration, even though it's tough to believe. He has good grades in almost every class too, because we're always competing for the highest place.

I act modest when people tell me that I have really good grades and I'm in the top three in every class, but in all honesty, _I know._

Merlin's balls, I sound like fifth year James.

Speaking of James, he was still crouched beside me, his sharp eyes watching the entrance to our hideout. Unlike me, he was seemingly not as unnerved by our close proximity.

Filch's scratchy voice reached out to our ears, and next to me, James tensed.

"Do you smell anything, my sweet?"

Mrs. Norris purred.

I didn't breathe. I had no idea whether that was good or bad, I just knew I had to stay quiet.

Please, just go away, I wordlessly begged of Filch and his damned cat.

James's muscles were taut.

My mouth was dry.

"Fine," said Filch disappointedly, "Let's go catch some other miscreants, my sweet."

* * *

I could feel Lily relax next to me as Filch skulked away. She was just as tense as I'd expected her to be. After all, this was her first adventurous outing.

Merlin, that girl did things to me that I'd rather not mention. Her signature strawberry-scented shampoo wafted into my nose. I inhaled it, and it made my head spin gloriously.

"Well?" Lily prodded me. "Move, you great big lummox, you're squashing me."

"Sorry." I scrambled to the tapestry and yanked it open. I climbed out and helped Lily down. She didn't push me away.

Lily brushed off her pajama bottoms, which had watermelons flashing their pearly whites. She looked at me, anticipation and exhilaration written all over her face.

"So?" She cast her eyes around us warily. "Are we going, or what?"

"Yeah, let's go." I tentatively held out my hand.

Lily looked at the hand, at me, and back at my hand. My neck grew uncomfortably hot.

"Sorry, you don't have to, I didn't mean it like that-" I apologized profusely, retracting my hand, but a huge smile on her face stopped me. She was positively glowing.

"C'mon, what're you waiting for?" She snatched my hand, practically bouncing on her feet. And just like that, my heart flip-flopped.

The rest of our journey was uneventful. Occasionally, Lily would give my hand a little squeeze, and a butterfly would fly into my stomach.

Seven and half minutes later, we were standing in front of the portrait of fruit, which was the entrance to kitchens, and which Lily was oblivious to.

"Why'd we stop?" she asked, glancing around.

"Guess," I invited her.

She studied the portrait. "Er, to admire a painting of a bowl of fruit?"

I heaved a sigh. "You, Lily Evans, are woefully unenlightened on the subject of Hogwarts's many secrets. Have another whack at it, since I am feeling merciful today."

""Merciful', huh? Boy, my luck keeps going up and up," she retorted sarcastically, and rather ungraciously, in my opinion. I mean, it's like it's fifth year again. I can't be that arrogant now, can I? Am I even capable?

Lily looked at the painting. "I don't see what the big deal is. It's just a painting," she said dismissively.

I rolled my eyes. Was she stupid? Oh wait, I hadn't told her yet.

"Lily, it _is_ a big deal. Look, just tickle the pear." I gestured grandly towards the portrait.

Lily looked dubious, but nevertheless stretched out her hand and poked the pear. It let out a small chuckle. She leapt back, alarmed.

I chuckled in perfect harmony with the pear. She glared at me and determinedly reached out again. This time, the pear giggled uproariously and transformed into a handle.

"Woah." Unhesitatingly, she tugged the handle and the portrait swung open, revealing the gleaming space beyond.

"Wow," Lily breathed.

I confidently stepped in first. Lily was still open-mouthed as she followed me inside.

"Impressed?" I smirked teasingly at her.

She pursed her lips. "Not yet."

"Fine. Prepare to be even more amazed. _Libby!"_ I called.

The minuscule house-elf popped into the kitchen. Lily emitted a soft scream of surprise.

"Sorry, Miss. Libby did not mean to startle you, Miss," Libby apologized, wringing her hands.

Lily smiled kindly at the house elf. "Not at all, Libby. Forgive me, it's been a rather _unpredictable_ night." She shot me a look.

Libby seemed perplexed, but nonetheless asked obediently, "Would you like something to eat, Miss?"

Lily regarded the house elf curiously. "What can you make?"

"Anything Miss wants."

Lily was still on the fence. "Um, I'd like a dessert."

"What kind of dessert, Miss? Truffles, cookies, soufflé…"

"Just pick, Evans," I interjected lazily.

She glared at me, then responded, "I'd like a plate of double chocolate chip cookies, if it isn't any trouble."

"Not at all, Miss! What would-"

I cut in before she could finish asking the customary question. "I'll have the usual, Libby. And add an extra plate of the muffins."

Libby bowed, and without delay, hurried away.

Lily settled in her chair comfortably. I could see more questions burning in her eyes.

"So, how'd you discover this place anyway? Dumbledore surely wouldn't tell _you_ about it."

"Lily, that is where you are quite mistaken. You see, Dumbledore did show us this _unintentionally_."

Lily looked at me quizzically. I hastened to explain.

"One night, Pad-I mean Sirius got the bright idea to steal McGonagall's biscuit tin. You know that tin she rattles in your face whenever you're in trouble?"

She shook her head.

"Well, whenever you're in real serious trouble, she offers you a biscuit as way of telling you that. That's how you know you're absolutely screwed."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lily told me.

"Okay, so Sirius wanted to nip into McGonagall's office and take her tin of biscuits, right? So this is what happened…"

 _Flashback_

 _Sirius and I stole out of the portrait hole, disturbing the dozing Fat Lady as we made our exit._

" _Who's there?" she squawked, her beady eyes peering through the darkness._

 _We didn't deign to answer; we had a much more important task at hand. This time, it was pilfering Professor McGonagall's biscuit tin._

" _Come on, let's go," Sirius whispered._

 _We padded softly down the corridor, our footsteps soundless. We were masters of marauding, the biscuit bandits, whatever you wanted to label us._

 _A wholly few minutes later, we stood outside the gargoyle that guarded the entrance._

 _Sirius unveiled himself and drew himself up. "I need to get inside. It's an emergency."_

" _The Deputy Headmistress is not in right now," the gargoyle responded automatically, "May I take a message, please?"_

" _No, you don't understand. It's urgent. She has something in there that I need."_

 _The dim light wavered for a second as he spoke. I was keeping a vigilant watch over the Marauder's Map, which was the only way we would know if someone was approaching._

 _At that moment, I noticed a dot moving steadily towards us. It was labelled 'Albus Dumbledore.'_

" _Sirius!" I hissed as loudly as possible without being heard. "Red alert!"_

 _That got Sirius's attention. That was a code we used if we were in danger of being caught._

" _Uh, sorry, but um, I remembered something! So, um, bye!" Sirius dove under the cloak._

" _Oh, damn," he whispered, snatching away the map and recognizing the name. It was rapidly descending down the stairs nearest us._

 _We huddled in a nearby niche, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see us, but you never knew with Dumbledore. He was the one teacher we could never outwit._

 _The bearded, bespectacled man himself entered our vision. He was humming a tune to himself serenely. He was unaware that we were hidden in the shadows._

 _Dumbledore turned left and disappeared into the corridor ahead. Sirius and I glanced at each other simultaneously, both of us thinking the same thing: we had to follow him._

 _And that's what we did. We tailed him all the way to the kitchens, where we discovered the secret behind all of the delicious food._

 _We waited patiently outside until he left, and it didn't take him a whole lot of time. He exited with a packet of Lemon Drops._

 _Not only had we discovered an asset to our plans, but we also knew where Dumbledore procured his famous Lemon Drops._

Present:

I waited for her reaction, but Libby and reinforcements Apparated into the kitchen with our food, or more like a _feast._ She had brought platters and platters of double chocolate chip cookies, along with a dozen plates piled with muffins, mini-cakes, all kinds of tart, including treacle.

Lily's mouth fell open at the sheer number of plates being set in front of her, as she couldn't believe what she was seeing. I wouldn't have either. If this was my first time. She was a rookie, I was a pro.

Lily grabbed whatever was within reach and stuffed into into her mouth. With her bare hands. Completely unladylike. Like, I dunno...Padfoot.

I watched, astonished beyond words. What. The. Hell.

"Lily?" I asked uncertainly. A muffled "Mmph." was my answer.

"Attractive," I snorted, "Utterly charming. How do you _fit_ all of _that_ in your _mouth_?"

Lily had devoured a grand total of six cookies, two muffins, and a Chocolate Frog in _under a minute._

See? She could rival Padfoot's unethical eating habits. Why girls fell for such a pig was a mystery.

Lily swallowed and said dryly, "Girls _can_ be like boys in all aspects. Except for peeing. Why do boys have to stand? It splatters everywhere."

I choked on my cookie while trying to hold in my amusement. Not such a good idea.

Lily performed a Heimlich Maneuver on me as I struggled for air. Normally, I would have relished the closeness, and that the back of my head was inches from her chest, but under these life-threatening circumstances, that wasn't the case.

"Thanks," I panted, gasping for oxygen.

Lily retook her seat delicately, unperturbed by the fact I was _this close_ to dying.

That girl was strange, but still wonderfully beautiful.

"So, you were saying?" She crossed her legs and her arms prettily.

"We were on the issue of why boys and girls urinate differently."

"Oh right. Carry on."

 **Okay, I'm going to end it here, because I really don't want to get into that debate and I want to keep it rated K+. I** _ **don't**_ **know why boys do what they do, because I'm a girl and I'm not a mind-reader. If you're curious, go ahead, search it or ask someone who's experienced on this kind of stuff. I personally wouldn't because it's just...ugh.**

 **Thank you so much for waiting so patiently for this chapter. I apologize for the long wait, but school is becoming so much harder now. High school orientation, plus the teachers giving extra homework, because it'll get our grades up, and it'll make them look good.**

 **Okay, so as for Matrimonium, I haven't even started the (hopefully) last chapter, because of the reasons above. I've been working on this chapter as much as possible, and writing the sequel to my Henry Danger story,** _ **Regrets.**_ **Here's a sneak peek:**

He opened to the page that was bookmarked with Ray's pen. His face became more alarmed as he took in the information.

"Char, come have a look at this."

Charlotte read over his shoulder, her face growing more somber.

"Well, Char? What does this all mean?" demanded Henry the moment she looked up.

"I think we both know what it means, Hen." She looked at him, her eyes wide, and pointed to Ray.

 **Oooo, suspenseful. I'm so close to finished, it should be published within the next week. Hope you like it, and liked this chapter too! Reviews would help a lot. Please tell me what I could improve on.**


	8. Fights and Injuries

**Hey guys (and gals)! Sorry about the long wait time. I've signed up for about a hundred challenges in two forums, as you might have noticed if you're doing them too, or you saw my oneshot/drabble collection that I started. I've tried avoiding ones with deadlines, because frankly, I'm so busy with life.**

 **I have a teensy little warning for you. There is a swear word in here, but only one.**

 **Song is "Chains" by Nick Jonas.**

 **That's all.**

 _Word count: 2,267_

* * *

 _Chapter 8: Fights and Injuries **(not an appealing title, might change it)**_

James scrutinized the parchment in front of him with eyebrows furrowed. It contained no less than a hundred words on it, written in neat, flawless script, and signed by Professor McGonagall, formally granting him permission to access the Quidditch pitch for tryouts. Next to the permission slip was a document with the eager hopefuls' names scrawled in various handwritings, ranging from puny second years to bulky seventh years. About a solid twenty in total, aspiring to become the next great Quidditch player.

"Hmm..." James hummed, contemplating the list, "I can rule out at least five of them. Oscar Hilton couldn't fly on a broom even if his life depended on it, and I fear for our lives if Judy Carter even goes near a broom."

I scanned the list for any familiar names. One in particular caught my eye. Cassandra Macdonald, or more known as Cass, Mary's sister, was trying out for Beater. Cass was a good contender for the Beater position, with her tall build and upper body strength.

James apparently noted the same. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he went through the prospects.

"Great," he said finally, "We're going to have a tough competition, if we take out those other five idiots I mentioned before."

I nodded almost imperceptibly, my eyes still fixed on the parchment. Huh. Ruth Abernathy was trying out for Chaser. That girl was the most aesthetic person in the entire school. There was no bloody way she would make it on the reserves, much less the actual team.

James rolled up the parchment into an uneven scroll, and tucked it into his nearby bookbag. "Well, it's late, and tryouts are tomorrow. I'm gonna head up. You coming?"

"In a minute," I told him.

"Whatever floats your boat," he yawned drowsily, and padded quietly upstairs to his dormitory, leaving me to my thoughts.

* * *

 _"Come, Gregory, my young friend," Salazar beckoned the unsmiling boy, "First, we must find an appropriate wand for you, lad. I have an accomplished wandmaker, who is quite skilled in what he does."_

 _He opened the oak door, and a bell jingled faintly. A man, with wispy beard and glasses, looked up and grinned._

 _"Welcome to Regis's Wand Shop! A place where you can find a wand in any lengths, widths, you name it!" he trilled cheerfully, "Whatever is your need, enlighten me and I shall cater to it! No challenge is too demanding for me!"_

 _Salazar cut him off here. "That's nice, Regis, but that's enough," he said firmly, and Regis fell silent. "This young boy, Gregory, needs a new wand. I suppose you'll be able to find him one?"_

 _"Of course. Let me measure him first, then we will see what I have available in my stock. The opportunities are plentiful!"_

 _He muttered incomprehensibly under his breath, wielding a measuring tape, and then, he suddenly jumped to his feet, startling the other two._

 _"I have it! Let me see where it is!"_

 _Regis went into the back storage room, and they could hear the sounds of rummaging. He hurried out, at least five boxes in his arms._

 _"Here is the first one. Ten and a half inches, unicorn tail hair. Wood is pine." He presented it to Gregory, who took it and waved it unenthusiastically in air. Nothing happened._

 _"That's all right lad, no need to fret. We'll find you a suitable wand. Here, try this one. Twelve inches, dragon heartstring core. Has the finest wood around; mahogany. Try it out."_

 _The next one produced the results everyone was waiting for. Green and silver sparks shot out of the wand, and Regis clapped his hands together in delight._

 _"Bravo, bravo! Another job well done!" he said happily. Gregory, on the other hand, could've looked less thrilled._

 _"Excellent, Gregory." There was a hint of warmth in Salazar's tone, but very smoothly covered up._

 _Gregory merely grunted his thanks. He turned the wand over and over in his hands, his sharp eyes sliding critically over it._

 _Then it happened. So quickly that it could've been a hallucination. His eyes momentarily flashed scarlet, but ebbed away immediately._

 _Regis peered closely at the boy's eyes, wondering if he had imagined it. Salazar hastily brushed under the rug with an assuring smile, and escorted Gregory out of the room._

 _"Now it is time to train," he informed him, once they were a good distance away from the door. "Get ready. It's not going to be easy."_

My eyes fluttered open, the dream still processing in my mind. This wasn't as satisfying, because it had not answered all of my questions. If anything, it had only increased.

At least now, I knew that something was up with Gregory. The way his eyes had gleamed in an ominous way was foreshadowing something sinister.

Shivering slightly, I tossed and turned for a little while, unable to go back to sleep. I tried every method I could think of. I counted sheep, conjured a glass of hot milk, and even attempted to complete my History of Magic essay. Attempted being the key word there. You may think I'm crazy, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Finally, I resigned to the fact that no, I was not going to sleep, and I hoped that I wouldn't become a raving insomniac. That could mean trouble for Hogwarts, if their Head Girl became mad. I could not go loony, in any case. Nuh-uh.

These dreams were going to be the death of me, I swore. If I became insane, it was these stupid dreams' fault.

I quietly rose out of bed, tucked my wand in the waistband of my pajama bottoms, and tiptoed softly down the stairs. That way, if James woke up, he wouldn't be able to blame it on my footsteps. By the way, they are gazelle-like. I don't know what he was thinking.

I yelped as I stubbed my toe on the last step. Cursing furiously, I hobbled to the couch and massaged it with vigor.

"Well, well. Look who's up again," a voice drawled obnoxiously, and I rolled my eyes. Damn it. It was him again.

"Shut up," I muttered, still rubbing my aching toe gingerly, to no avail.

"My, my, someone's testy. I'm still your friend, and at the moment, your only source of aid," James goaded superiorly, and frankly, offensively. I could take care of myself!

"I don't need your so-called 'aid!' I can manage perfectly on my ow—ouch!" I cried out in pain, now nursing a stubbed toe and a bruised wrist. I'd been so indignant at James's outrageous remarks I'd whirled around so fast my wrist had collided with the wood table. And it did not feel pleasant.

A warm scent wreathed around me, similar to the one I'd felt that night when I originally was in a state of insomnia, when Filch and his ruddy cat were about to corner us, and we narrowly escaped.

"Are you okay?" James was trying to sound offhand, but I was able to detect a trace of worry.

"I'm fine," I dismissed, "It's just another minor injury. Add it to my still-growing list of 'Lily Evans's Greatest and Clumsiest Blunders.'"

"Now where is that list? I must see it. Lily Evans, less than graceful? Unheard of," he teased me. I glared at him playfully, secretly enjoying our little banter.

He seemed to be relishing it too, because his next words were, "You know, Lily, it's really marvelous being your friend. I really hated it when our only forms of communication were insults and yelling, but now, it's even more wonderful, being in your good graces. I never got to see this side of you, and I'm really glad we've moved past the spitefulness. You're a really awesome friend, you know. I should've realized it sooner."

I was fighting back tears, but the strong emotions came anyway. Wordlessly, I threw my arms around him and just about squeezed the life out of him. It was the most touching thing I'd ever heard from him.

"Thanks, James," I said as I released him, "I never thought I'd be saying this before, but that was...unprattish and sweet of you."

James looked embarrassed, but modestly replied, "It's a side of me that comes out every so often, when the time feels right."

He smiled bashfully, and I nearly hugged him again.

"So...what's keeping you up this time?" James asked inquisitively, his eyes avoiding mine.

"Sleep problems," I replied, eluding the question swiftly. James frowned. He wasn't buying it.

"Again?" he said disbelievingly.

"James, I'm tired. I'm going to bed," I excused myself, but James blocked the stairwell, his hands on his hips stubbornly.

"I don't believe you," he said scornfully, his caramel eyes searching me.

"Well, that's your problem," I brushed off dismissively, though my infamous temper was boiling dangerously.

"Yes, it is, and I want answers. Don't hide secrets from me, Lily. I confided in you, and this is how you return the favor?"

Tears were welling up in my eyes at his harsh words, but they were the unfortunate truth. I struggled to not cry, but the effort cost me something else: my ability to hold back my unnecessary anger. As a result, I lashed out.

"You know, _Potter?_ " I knew using his last name would hurt him more, so I deliberately emphasized it. I was right: he flinched and I felt a flash of satisfaction.

"Not everything is your business, okay? I thought that maybe, as my friend, you would respect my privacy. But now, I realize that I was mistaken. You're pressing me for information that I don't want to give away. This isn't going to work out, Potter. Just shut up and leave me alone."

 _(Translation: Please apologize to me. I don't want you to go.)_

I saw him open his mouth and close it submissively. Pain zipped through me, and before I could act on it, I fled. Tears were spilling down my face, and my insides were tearing themselves apart.

 _(Because I don't want to leave.)_

* * *

 **James's POV**

 ** _"You got me in chains."_**

She was gone before I could truly apologize.

 _(We're back to square one. That's how it's always going to be.)_

I trudged slowly up to my room, wondering how in the world I got myself into this pickle.

 _(Because I can't control my fat mouth.)_

Now what am I supposed to do?

 ** _"You got me in chains for your love."_**

I needed space. I slipped on the first pair of jeans I could find and crept out of the portrait hole. The randy witch who usually guarded the entrance was absent, presumably at a late night portrait party. Or visiting the ugly knight who lived a few halls down.

 _(At least she was having a better love life than me.)_

I didn't have the map or the cloak on me, so I was on my own. Luckily, being a Marauder had heightened my senses and knowledge of the school. I reached the entrance hall without a hitch.

The doors were locked, obviously, but at least I'd remembered to bring my wand, so unlocking the doors was an easy task.

And I was free. I raced towards the forest, morphing into a stag as I ran. The sudden transition from two legs to four didn't bother me at all. I galloped into the dark forest, the clicking of my hooves the only sound.

I meandered around the forest for a little while, unafraid of the creatures within it. I only savored the feeling of the air rushing past my skin, and the stimulating scent of pine needles and wet grass filling my nostrils.

As I hurtled through the trees, my eyes and ears alert, I had a good, long, hard reflection over my actions of the past hour. One thing was prominent in my mind: Lily was shunning me. Because I had royally screwed up, like a right prat.

But I loved her. So, I knew in my mind, I would gather up the courage and apologize eventually.

"But I wouldn't change, no I wouldn't change this love."

Something crackled, and I slowed. My fur prickled uncomfortably.

I stood stock-still. Something was moving out there. It was lumbering towards me at a lazy pace, giving me ample time to run. But my human instincts told me to hide and discover what it was.

But before I could hide, a bush rustled and a creature stepped out, its amber eyes glowing eerily in the moonlight. It cast its eyes around warily, before resting on me. It moved towards me, treading noisily to me. When it came closer, I saw that it had a humongous, sharp horn and a bulky body, which hampered its progress. An Erumpent.

Holy mother of Merlin.

Still in stag form, I backed away, my heart hammering. My fur snagged on a stray branch, causing me to stumble.

 _Shit._ This was not going well for me.

I couldn't shift back into human form, for the risk of injuring myself even more. The only thing I could do was pull persistently against the branch.

The Erumpent was steadily lurching towards me as I valiantly made an effort to free myself. This was life or death, and I wanted to stay alive.

With a final effort, I broke free, but at a price. Agonizing pain shot through my shoulder.

This was the stupid Erumpent's fault. No, wait, it was mine. I would not be in this situation if it hadn't been for my mouth getting in the way of my brain.

I was now on three legs, for my front right leg was sprained and rendered useless. I limped away from the Erumpent as fast as my three good legs would allow me.

The Erumpent finally relented when I cleverly diverted it towards the lake, and then doubled back to the castle.

It started drizzling right as I crested the hill leading up to the school.

I couldn't walk around as a stag in the school, because that would arouse some suspicion. I couldn't turn back into a human either, but it was the better of the two evils.

I transformed into a human again. My left shoulder was sprained, but at least it wasn't my leg. Therefore, I had two choices. Go to the hospital wing, answer Madam Pomfrey's nosy questions, get treated, and rest there for the night. Or, I could return to the Head's dormitory, confront Lily, and possibly admit to her what I was doing, which would give her even more of a reason to get angry. I would have to take care of my injury on my own. The first option sounded more appealing, so I headed to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey was not all over me. Padfoot and I frequented the hospital wing, so it was no surprise to her when I showed up with a sprained shoulder. She treated it quickly, wrapped an arm in a sling, and insisted I stay. I complied, since I was drained and quite honestly, in no mood to argue.

I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. I wondered briefly if Lily was doing the same thing, but I dismissed the thought.

 ** _"Tryin'a break the chains but the chains only break me."_**


	9. Tryouts, Pettiness, and Resignation

**Warning: A few cuss words, but I'm not the type to use profane language. I also altered the format of the titles, because it's hard to summarize the chapter in two words (not including _and_ ). And please go and review Seashells, because that would mean a lot. And also go check out my Mother's Day Celebration on the HPFC forum (Link to the forum in bio).**

* * *

 _Chapter 9: Tryouts, Pettiness, and Resignation_

"I don't get men!" I declared upon entering my former dormitory.

"Ditto, " Hestia agreed, turning a page of _Witch Weekly._

"Same," Mary chimed in, feverishly rifling through her school bag.

"Me too," contributed Alice half-heartedly.

"All right, I think this calls for a mandatory girls meeting," I said, "You know the drill."

There was collective groan as beds were pushed together to form an enormous three-bed tent, complete with hangings on every side, which effectively blocked out every sound and allowed us to have a private meeting.

"Okay," I whispered, crawling into the tent and performing _Muffalito,_ "Who wants to go first?"

We all glanced at each other, before Alice burst out, "I don't know what to buy for Frank for his birthday. It's in three days! "

"Okay," I said reasonably, "Calm down for a second and think. What does Frank like?"

Alice began to list off many things at top speed. Hestia rolled her eyes.

"At this rate, we'll all be elderly and frail," she grumbled.

"Woah, slow down, Alice," I interrupted, partially agreeing with Marlene in my head, "Why don't we start somewhere else? What have you given him so far?"

"Well," she began uncertainly, "I haven't given him many presents...they've mostly been store-bought and pricey-"

"I got it!" Mary cried, snapping her fingers dramatically, "You give him something you made yourself! Something that has sentimental value, and will also serve as a gift. Like, I dunno, a scrapbook!"

Alice's cherubic face lit up. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, "Thanks, guys!"

"Excellent, that's one problem solved," I stated, relieved, "Who's next?"

Another round of glances passed by, and then Mary spoke up. "Lily, you remember what I told you about Remus?"

Hestia immediately pounced on the topic. "Remus? Do you fancy him?"

Mary nodded, confirming her speculation.

"Did you ask him out?" I pressed gently.

Mary shook her head, looking crestfallen.

"Let me guess, you're too chicken to ask him on a date," Hestia said bluntly.

I gave her a reproachful look. "Hestia!"

"What?" she said airily, shrugging her shoulders, "Don't tell me that you weren't thinking the exact same thing."

"Touché," I admitted, "but you could've been a little more tactful."

Mary shook her head even harder. "No, she's right. I'm scared to ask him to go to Hogsmeade. What if he says no? What if he consents to go out with me, but he realizes that it was all a mistake? What if-?"

I cut her off. "You're worrying about a lot of _what-ifs._ You _are_ aware of the fact that he might possibly like you back, and might have the same predicament as you? I say go for it," I suggested diplomatically.

"Take a positive outlook," Alice said, "I was nervous as hell when I first asked out Frank, which you'll recall, but I mustered up the courage to invite him to Hogsmeade with me, and look where we are now."

"Thanks for the advice," Mary said gratefully.

"And he's an asshole if he turns you down," Hestia added, "I mean, what's there not to like? You're a really amazing person; he'd be blind not to see that."

Mary blushed and murmured, "Thank you."

"Anytime," Hestia said dismissively, pinning me down with her bold brown eyes, "What's up with you, Lils? You're the one who called this assembly in the first place."

"It's...complicated," I confessed, "I can't really explain it to you, but basically what my problem is that James—I mean, Potter—and I are fighting again."

"But I thought you guys were friends," Mary said, baffled.

"We were," I said miserably, "but he was being a nosy git and intruding in on my business, and I just blew up at him!"

Hestia and Mary exchanged unreadable looks. I grew suspicious.

"What? Do you not agree with me?" I demanded.

Alice interceded before I exploded for a second time in twenty-four hours.

"No, we agree," she assured me, "But, we just think that the way you handled it _wasn't_ mature."

"We have reason to believe that you _both_ may be at fault," Mary added.

"Me?!" I spluttered, "How am _I_ to blame? I was doing what I thought was right."

"What did you say to him?" asked Alice, locking eyes with me worriedly. The damage I had done depended on the severity of my words.

In my mind, I issued a long string of profanity. My distress must've shown on my face because the three faces around me grew grim.

"Oh dear," sighed Mary, "We have a _lot_ of damage control to do. Let's get started."

* * *

The girls grilled me for about a half-hour on what to do in this situation and formulated a plan. I argued fiercely against their plan at first, but then I caved in.

Our first course of action was to make me look irresistible. James had harbored a crush on me for _years_ , so we decided to exploit that.

By the time they were done, I looked like- well, I don't want to sound self-centered, but I looked like an _angel._ All you needed to add were a pair of wings and a halo, and _voilà._

My next step was to waltz serenely into the Heads' dormitories, where James would be seated on the couch in front of the roaring fire. My friends would create some sort of convincing story to lure him into the common room.

Finally, I would approach him in all my heavenly glory, take a seat next to him, and soften him up so that he would open up, and that was precisely when I would apologize and make up with him.

I was currently executing step two: gracefully enter the Heads' shared common room. My friends should've already gotten him into the common room, as they had promised me.

The heels on my feet were absolutely killing me. I was a novice when it came to walking in heels, and I could not believe I was sinking this low. Who the bloody hell invented heels, anyway? A foot-murdering lunatic?

I stumbled several times, swearing obscenely, and scaring off a group of tiny first-years. It was clear they were not used to the sight of the Head Girl muttering expletives under her breath.

Quite a few students gawked at me as I tripped up the stairs (seriously, it takes talent to trip _up_ the stairs) and I felt naked. But nobody tried to halt me, so I was fine.

Amos Diggory was watching me as I hobbled up the stairs. He even caught me in his arms as I missed a step and fell backward. I felt self-conscious, causing me to turn bright red, stammer an apology, and hurry on my way. I was an absolute _idiot._ Whose brilliant idea was this originally? Oh right, my friends'. I was going to kill them later, but right now, I was on a mission.

The distance between the Gryffindor common room and the Heads' one had never felt so long.

By the time I reached there, I was a _mess_. My feet were swollen from those stupid heels, my hair was falling apart, and as I looked in a nearby window, I saw that my makeup was smeared all over my face

I looked like I'd been fooling around in a broom closet. Merlin, I looked like a _hot mess._

Ah, crap. I think James or Sirius have corrupted my innocent (guilty) mind. I'm becoming vain.

So much for looking charming.

I hastily fixed whatever I could of my oh-so-gorgeous look, and the rest I just had to wing it.

I said the password, _lilium regale,_ and mentally cursing at the damn heels, I fluidly entered the common room.

Famous last words.

Something heavy barreled into me, bowling me over. A sharp pain shot through my left ankle as it was wrenched backward, and I gasped and kicked upward with my other foot reflexively.

On top of me, someone grunted as my heel came in contact with their body. A familiar scent swirled around me, a mixture of cinnamon and forest.

Just the person I was hoping to run into. Not like this, however.

Bollocks.

I squirmed out from under the Head Boy, got up slowly, and promptly collapsed again. Agonizing pain was pulsing through my ankle, rendering me unable to walk.

James was rising to his feet effortlessly. He saw me on the floor, clutching my throbbing ankle, and asked me concernedly, "Are you okay?"

His hazel eyes burned uncomfortably into mine, and I avoided his eyes, staring at my purple ankle.

I swallowed my pride. "No, I'm not," I conceded.

The words had barely left my mouth when James jumped into action. _"Ferula,"_ he said, pointing his wand at my ankle, and a splint appeared, securely supporting my entire leg.

I smiled gratefully at him. Then, I scowled as I remembered that he was the one who made me slip and injure my ankle.

"What happened?" asked James, oblivious to my darkening mood.

"You," I growled, "If you'd been looking where you were going, I wouldn't need to sit here looking like a fool!"

"Sorry," he said and noticed my glamorous outfit for the first time. "Lily, not to be rude, but why are you dressed so fancily?"

I brushed it off, plastering a fake smile on my face. "Just felt like experimenting today," I responded breezily.

His eyes sparkled. "You should experiment more often." His eyes traveled up and down my body, appraising it.

YES! YES! I wanted to jump for joy. James was buying it. Maybe this wasn't as difficult as I'd thought it'd be.

My friends could live.

"Your friends accosted me just now and mentioned you wanted me to meet you here," James carried on, "What did you call me here for?"

I took a deep breath. "To apologize for the other night," I said cautiously, gauging his reaction, "I don't necessarily like the method you used to try and get me to fess up, but I said some hurtful things that I shouldn't have said. It was just the heat of the moment. Forgive me?"

He studied me, and I held my breath in anticipation.

"Wow," he said finally, "This is a first."

I wasn't sure if that had a good or bad meaning. "What?"

To my relief, he laughed. "Lily Evans, apologizing. Usually, it's me begging for amnesty."

I chuckled and hit him on the arm. "I don't _beg."_

"I know," he replied, "I wasn't implying that you were the one begging. I said it was just me."

I didn't have a witty comeback, so I opted for playfully smacking his arm and resorting to my go-to answer. "Shut up. Am I forgiven? Or will I need to get down on my knees?"

"Sure, and I'm sorry too, for prying into your business like that. I had no right," he said sincerely, "Now am I forgiven? Or do I have to plead my case even more?"

"Of course you are," I said between giggles.

We chortled for a good few minutes before I accidentally triggered my ankle again. Amidst all of our hilarity, I'd almost forgotten about it.

"Bugger," I hissed; the pain was nearly overwhelming, "Mind escorting me to the hospital wing? I don't think I'll be able to make it by myself."

"No," he agreed, "not in this state. In fact, you don't have to walk at all. Here."

With one swish of his wand, he Transfigured a nearby quill into a full-blown stretcher, complete with a pillow. I whistled, impressed.

James waved it off modestly. He helped me into the stretcher.

"Now, don't be alarmed," he warned me, and before I could inquire why, he levitated the stretcher with me in it into the air.

"You nutter!" I yelled, beside myself, "That's dangerous! What if I fall off?"

"You won't," he assured me, "I'll catch you."

I crossed my arms, still on the fence, but before I could chastise him further, he jerked his wand forward. The stretcher moved with it.

"Perfect," he said, satisfied, "Now don't say a word. I'm doing this for _you."_

He made it sound like he was doing me a great favor. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh thank you, Your Highness," I deadpanned, "Shall I shower you with my eternal gratitude? Or is that too low of a praise?"

"Geez, Lily, no need to be so dramatic," he said disgustedly, "and here's a tip: never piss off the person who's controlling the only means you have to reach the hospital wing."

I remained silent after that.

* * *

After I shut her down, Lily stayed quiet on the rest of the journey to the infirmary. Until I veered off in a completely different direction.

After that, I could sense Lily's curiosity, but she had resolved to not speaking at all.

Finally, her inquisitiveness became so strong I said quietly, "You know you're allowed to ask me questions, right?"

She shot me a resentful look. "Why did you take a right at that set of corridors instead of going left?"

"This is a faster route," I explained shortly.

"Oh." If she had any more questions, she didn't ask; her jaw was set resolutely.

On our way, we also encountered a couple of fifth-year Slytherins. They threw Lily looks of distaste, but they didn't dare test my patience or my wrath. They were probably in the waiting line for Voldemort's (yes, I'm not afraid to say his name, he's a slimy bastard) little clan.

We reached the hospital wing and were immediately confronted by Madam Pomfrey. The matron laid her to rest on a much more comfortable bed and hurried fussily into the potions' store.

Lily eluded my gaze, and I didn't bother to inform her. I had already done enough for today. I did, however, apologize for my thoughtless remark. She gave me a curt nod in response and we didn't acknowledge it from then on. I knew she had forgiven me, at least for now.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her store and bent over Lily, blocking my view. I wove around her, trying to catch a glimpse, but the Healer was moving her body in various angles, so I was not able to.

Lily was protesting loudly, but under Pomfrey's stern glare she fell silent. Her vibrant eyes were cast down in her lap, but she caught me by surprise by raising her eyes to meet mine. I conveyed encouragement with my eyes, and she nodded wearily.

"I'd like to stay tonight if it isn't any inconvenience," the Head Girl said, her body suddenly draining of the fire she'd had not thirty seconds ago.

Madam Pomfrey too looked taken aback by her abrupt change in mood. "Of course you may, Miss Evans," she said firmly, "It's not a choice."

Lily shook her head. "I know, Madam Pomfrey."

Pomfrey sent me a puzzled look, but I shrugged. I had as much of an idea as she did.

"Very well." Pomfrey ushered me out of the infirmary, "Out you go, Potter, Miss Evans will be perfectly fine. Thank you for your assistance."

As I was marched forcefully out of the room, I caught sight of Lily briefly. Her head was down and she was playing with her fiery hair. She appeared rather downcast. I promised myself that I would bust her out of that miserable place.

* * *

I stopped by the hospital wing between classes and during mealtimes. I brought her food and cards from her well-wishers. Occasionally, my friends tagged along, as did Lily's friends. We tried to cheer Lily up as much as possible because we all sympathized with her having to be confined in an dull environment.

Pomfrey was hardly around when I visited, so I didn't know how long Lily's ankle would take to heal, which would be the approximate date she would be released. Lily estimated about a week, and I said a day earlier. Therefore, we placed a bet. If Lily won, I would have to pay for all the expenses on her next Hogsmeade trip (unless she agreed to a date with someone, then I would have to pay for the next one), but if I won, Lily had to do my homework for a week. My friends, of course, were employing any means to convince Pomfrey to let Lily leave on the day I wagered.

Another problem was Diggory. He dropped by almost as much as we did, which served as a nuisance to me. He would bring a bouquet of flowers every day, which crowded up the limited area on Lily's side table, leaving no space for the other gifts. This shouldn't have irked me as much as it did. Diggory had every right to see Lily, yet I almost lost my composure when Diggory carried in a vase of _roses_.

Oh no. This boy was interested in a _relationship_ with Lily. Golden Boy Diggory wanted what I'd sought after for seven years. He wanted to _date_ Lily. And by the looks of it, he was getting a lot closer than I had.

I watched furiously, shunned to the side, as Lily giggled away with her precious Diggory. Spite and pure loathing bubbled up in me as I saw Lily playfully touch Diggory's arm. Beside me, Remus was also closely observing the pair.

"I think she fancies him," he commented.

I snapped. "Wow, real perceptive, Moony," I said sardonically, "You're going to make a fine Leglimens someday."

"At least I'm not moping over the fact that the girl I like likes someone else." Moony matched my tone.

Sirius whistled, and I narrowed my eyes at the pair of them. "Well, at least _I'm_ not too chicken to ask out the girl I like."

"Touche," Moony admitted. Over at Lily's bed, I saw red as Lily kissed Diggory's cheek, a shy smile on her lovely face. Diggory looked like he'd won the Daily Prophet's Grand Prize Draw. No, Lily was worth more than that.

Diggory departed, flashing a toothy grin at us. I seethed, "Ugh, I hate Diggory so damn much. I don't know what Lily sees in him."

As I said those words, I felt no remorse.

Lily caught my eye and beckoned me over excitedly. I dragged my body over to her.

"Guess what?" She didn't even wait. "Amos just asked me to Hogsmeade! I think he likes me!"

No shit, Sherlock.

"And he was really sweet about it too," she added, pointing to the hideous roses, "He says he's fancied me since the end of the last term! That's when I started liking him too! Isn't that incredible?"

Oh, and how long have I liked her? _Seven bloody years._

I did my best to act like it pleased me when really it was tearing me up inside.

"That's wonderful," I said warmly. I could feel Moony's eyes penetrating me. I hastily stood up and brushed invisible dirt off my clothes.

"Well, it was splendid talking to you, but I still have that killer History of Magic essay to complete," I fabricated on the spot. In reality, the essay was already finished, but I just needed Moony to revise it. "I'll see you later."

I discreetly signaled Sirius to come with me.

Once we were outside the wing and out of Lily's earshot, I turned to Sirius.

"We need to put Operation ELD into motion," I informed him abruptly.

Sirius looked baffled for a moment before his expression turned to glee. "You mean, the plan where we-"

"Shh," I hissed, furtively peering around for any passerby. There were none.

"Yes, that plan," I whispered, "We have to execute it; it's been idle for a while since the last git didn't need us to humiliate him; Lily did it unknowingly for us."

Sirius nodded. "What if Lily finds out?" he asked, "She'll murder us; she's wanted to go out with Diggory for a while."

I waved it aside. "C'mon, don't be so pessimistic," I admonished him, "ELD is foolproof. We'll make Diggory look like a dunce in front of Lily while ensuring that we don't get caught."

Sirius still looked unconvinced, but before he could voice his misgivings aloud, I said loudly, "So Sirius, what did you think of last night's pudding? Marvelous, wasn't it?"

A few first years were passing by, one nursing a bloody nose. I had to invent a decent cover-up so we wouldn't look suspicious.

The first year with the bleeding nose couldn't see where he was going, so he accidentally bumped into me. Ew. Blood on my shirt.

"S-sorry, Mr. Potter, I couldn't see where I was going!" he apologized profusely.

I shrugged carelessly. Nothing a simple _Tergeo_ couldn't fix. Meanwhile, blood was pouring out of the first year's nose.

"You broke your nose?" I asked, and he nodded. I pulled out my wand, pointed it at his nose, and said, _"Episkey."_

The astonished first year watched at his nose healed right before his very eyes. It was still swollen, but hey, you have to give me credit for stopping the blood flow.

And we would've had another mess on our hands. Sirius looked nauseated, on the edge of vomiting.

"Thank you!" the first year gasped.

I knelt down so I was at his eye level. "What's your name?" I inquired.

"Eu-Eugene," he answered shakily.

"Hi there," I said pleasantly, "And who are your friends?"

Sweet mother of Merlin, I was behaving just like Lily.

Eugene brightened up at the mention of his friends.

"This is Alex," he indicated a short, dirty blonde haired boy, "and this is Bella." He pointed to a small girl with a bob.

"I've seen you before," Sirius suddenly spoke from behind me, "You were that kid who I almost trampled the other day running from Hestia."

Eugene looked surprised. "Yes, you bumped into me and ripped my rucksack," he recalled, "The Head Girl—I assume you know who she is—she helped me pick up my stuff."

"That's Lily," I said.

"Yeah, that was her name. I can see why you like her; she's a pretty one," he said.

Sirius guffawed as I sputtered, "How do you—"

"My brother," he shrugged, "He was a third year, and he was around when you had that whole confrontation with Snape. He found it very amusing and he supports your endeavors."

I made a mental note to award that boy some points.

"Well, we really must be off," I said, "You know, Head Boy stuff to do. See you around."

I dragged Sirius away from the first years. He was still cackling like the dolt he is.

* * *

Quidditch tryouts arrived. Or, the day I watched a bunch of bumbling idiots trip all over themselves trying to impress me and choose the ones that mortified themselves the least.

Technically, I was supposed to make my veteran players try out again, just in case there was someone better. Looking at this year's batch, I doubted that I would have to replace anyone from last year.

I was holding Keeper tryouts first since those were usually the easiest. I consulted the list to see which hopefuls were first. This year, since many of the team from last year were returning, I mainly needed a Chaser, a Seeker, and a Keeper. Plus, there were always reserve slots.

I assigned the job of recording to Lily since I was flying and conducting a mock Quidditch match, a scenario which had never failed to frustrate all of the people who believed they would be able to join the team without a hitch.

Lily, as usual, was looking effortlessly beautiful. I swallowed as I looked at her tight Muggle jeans and a fringe top that looked phenomenal on her curvy figure. Her ankle was encased in a cast with dozens of autograph on it.

Rhonda Gunther went first. She hardly looked like Keeper material. She was wearing short-shorts that were only two inches long, and a dyed red tank-top shrunken two times her size.

She saved none of the goals, and she flounced off the pitch. I snorted under my breath, while Sirius was unabashedly ogling her. I knew he would bed Rhonda before the end of the week.

The next candidate was Courtney Middleton, the Keeper from last year. As predicted, she saved all ten shots.

The third, fourth, and fifth trials were quick eliminations. The sixth was close; he saved nine.

The seventh and last one was a flop. She didn't even speak English. She had a translator following her wherever she went, so translating was a hassle and I just decided to send her away.

I surveyed the remaining competitors and concluded I was in for a long ride.

Five shouting matches, three scuffles, and one broken nose later, I finally found adequate players. With a hoarse voice, I informed them that they were now members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. One pledged right then and there that they would do everything I asked. I snorted but poorly disguised it as a cough. Another was Cass, Mary's sister.

Muddy, exhausted, and exasperated, I trudged over to Lily, who was scrutinizing the list so intently that her eyebrows were furrowed.

"I still don't think you should've put Faith on the team," she muttered.

"Let it go, Lily," I snapped, "My decision is final, and I don't think I'll change my mind anytime soon."

"Fine," she retorted, "What's crawled up your arse and died?"

"I just want you to respect my decision and not point all of the flaws in it. Is that too much to ask?"

"Just as long you respect mine!" she countered.

I saw the fire flaring up in her bright eyes and I did something that even surprised me. I backed out of an argument with Lily. I suppose I was too deprived of energy to fight back.

I said wearily, "This is stupid. We need to stop bickering like three-year-olds and get along."

Shock, followed by acceptance flitted through her eyes. She agreed with me.

"You're right," she confessed, "We are Heads; we need to be role models."

I couldn't resist. "Lily, darling, I was already worshiped before I became an authority figure."

I expected Lily to embark on a tirade about my egotism, but instead a smile worked its way onto her face.

"You really are a conceited prat," she informed me affectionately. She patted me on the back before departing for the school, her red hair blowing majestically in the breeze.

And I stood in the same spot, grinning like a fool. And I found myself reconsidering ELD, but I was resolved to humiliate Diggory as much as humanly possible. He was stealing away the love of my life, the air that I breathed, after all.

 **WASSUP Y'ALL!**

 **Okay, maybe a little over the top?**

 **Yay! I finally published Chapter 9! And I will start on Chapter 10 as soon as this gets posted!**

 **I already did my rant on my profile, so I'm not going to waste your time with one here.**

 **Wishing you eternal happiness,**

 **~AJ**


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